Connewarre

Connewarre & District Soldiers Honor Roll

Location: Randles Road, Connewarre

The Soldiers Memorial Hall at Connewarre was opened on Saturday 5 August 1922 with a big district turn out. “The hall is a substantially built roomy structure, and is equipped with a handsome honor board bearing the names of the district men who volunteered for service in the Great War, and had made the supreme sacrifice.” Cr White officially opened the door to the hall with a silver key which bore the initials C.D.S.M.H. After a few words Cr. White handed the ceremony over to Mr. J.H. Lister, M.H.R who unveiled the Honor Roll, the first one he had unveiled an honor roll containing exclusively names of men who had fallen.

Source: Geelong Advertiser, Monday 7 August 1922, p6

Barwon Heads Methodist Church Honor Roll

Location: Barwon Heads Hall, Hitchcock Ave, Barwon Heads

The honor roll made of Australian blackwood was unveiled on April 25, 1917 with a service conducted by the Rev. R.S. Joyce. The residents came from the Barwon Heads and Connewarre areas.

Barwon Heads War Memorial

Location: Barwon Heads Hall, Hitchcock Ave, Barwon Heads

The Barwon Heads War Memorial commemorates Australian servicemen who have served in all wars and conflicts. The section relating to World War 1 is an exact replica of the names on the Honor Roll above.

Connewarre and District Soldiers’ Memorial Hall

Location: Randles Road, Connewarre

On January 8th 1921 a meeting of residents was held to begin the process of providing the Connewarre district with a public hall. Until then, functions were usually conducted in the school building. The following trustees were appointed: George Alexander Cameron, James Francis Challis and Robert John Fuller. The initial working committee comprised G.A. Cameron (Chairman), J.O’Neil (Secretary), L. McDonald, L.J. Challis and R. Fuller.

To honour their three brothers who died while serving Australia during World War One, Jack and Frank Challis offered to donate an acre of land along the Geelong-Barwon Heads Road for the building. After consideration of several potential sites, land mid-way between Blackrock and Breamlea Roads, on the south side of the main road was selected. It was decided that, if trees were to be planted around the site, an additional quarter-acre would be needed. The Challis family readily agreed to the request.

Quotes were obtained for the construction of a potential wooden ($2474) or brick ($3490) hall with a floor area of 97 square metres and an elevated stage. The former version was chosen, and the then amazing total of $1000 in public subscriptions was raised in a short time.

After some problems with the quality of the flooring, the new hall was officially opened with a grand ball on September 26th, 1922. A fee of 25c per adult created a profit of $17.90. In addition, a Connewarre Club Premiership celebration dinner/dance held at about that time produced a surplus of $8.15. The club donated a music stool in appreciation of the new facility.

During the early 1970’s the Country Roads Board (VicRoads) announced the intention to create a dual highway from Geelong to Barwon Heads. As a result, the hall committee was forced to consider a new site for the public building. The original area was sold and the new owner moved the 60 year-old hall to the southern end of the block to use for domestic purposes.

A forty-four acre site was purchased on the south-east corner of Bluestone School and Randles Roads. It would eventually accommodate recreational and Connewarre CFA facilities as well as the hall building. On August 13th, 19767 the new 153 square metre facility was officially opened.

Source:

Connewarre 170 Sub-Committee, Seventeen Decades of European Settlement: Connewarre, The Home of the Black Swan, October 2012

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Continued Development

The gathering of historical data and memorabilia is an ongoing process and every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information. The information provided is based on the best available knowledge at the time of posting and may be updated from time to time.
If you see errors in transcription, know of any honour boards / memorials not listed here or have a comment, please send us an email so that we can adjust our information accordingly.